


Appetence

by tellthosewithpowersafeintheirtower



Category: Newsies (1992)
Genre: Boys In Love, Canon Era, Character Development, Character Study, Dorks in Love, Falling In Love, First Kiss, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Gay Newsies, Getting Together, I'm Bad At Tagging, Idiots in Love, Internalized Homophobia, Literally just fluff and love at the end, Love, Love Confessions, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Mutual Pining, Period-Typical Homophobia, Soft Boys, Soft David Jacobs, Soft Jack Kelly, Sweetness, briefly, ish?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-07
Updated: 2019-05-07
Packaged: 2020-02-27 12:10:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18738742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tellthosewithpowersafeintheirtower/pseuds/tellthosewithpowersafeintheirtower
Summary: There's a million, thousand moments for which Davey Jacobs found himself loving Jack Kelly. Maybe it was the way his nose scrunched up so slightly when he tried to hide some strong emotion or the way he said that he was no good at keeping track of belongings but mittens and warm wear found themselves wrapped around the frame of the littles.Maybe it was the way he came back for them all. The way he left Santa Fe for the family that found him in the city or those beaming, open-mouthed smiles. Maybe it was the way he tugged Davey into one armed hugs and made him feel as though those words they spun could build them entire cathedrals to stand upon.There were a million thousand moments- Jack on that statue, flying through the streets of New York as though they owned them, Jack spinning stories out of singular words of headlines, his crooked little half-smiles or barks of laughter. Every little motion and twitch of his fingers drew Davey deeper and deeper in and he was falling further than he ever had...There were a million thousand words carefully lined up silently, chipping away bit by bit at thin shoulders, but all of those burned away letter by letter and tossed away to stars when Jack smiled.





	Appetence

> **_appetence_** (n.) - an eager desire, an instinctive inclination; _an attraction or a natural bond_

When David met Jack, he wanted nothing to do with the boy. He was loud and self-assured and declared them partners as though the only necessity of partnership was his want for it, as though David's part of the agreement isn't a factor, and he ran like fire was on his heels ever hurtling into trouble with an unceasing grin.

Jack Kelly was wild. He was a storm of untouched energy and the best of the Manhattan newsies, a storm of tousled hair and eyes that had seen a thousand lifetimes. He gave them the "chance of a lifetime" to partner.

David Jacobs said yes.

  


Jack Kelly had never needed to pull Davey after him, for he was already too eager to follow. Even as he crowed protests when he slammed into walls as he ran faster than he ever had he was drawn after the other. But still, everything felt achingly right about Jack's nimble, calloused fingers threading through the fabric of Dave's tie and tugging him up into the rafters.

Everything felt warm in the theater.

When he snuck little glances at the open-mouthed, breath-taking smiles Jack offered to the show below, he pretended it was just the whirlwind of Medda's performance.

Just show business.

 _Right_.

  


Davey didn't know when his name became Davey and not David. The gentle curling of the syllables and a smile on Jack's tongue instead of the harder reprimand of " _David_ " that seemed intrinsically tied to his own name.

He didn't know, but Davey couldn't regret it.

For some reason, that same grin, and an echoed laugh Davey followed the strange boy so unlike everything he has been told to be his entirely life without hesitation. His heart pulled and he was drawn along after the self-proclaimed Cowboy and best newsie of Manhattan. Something about the boy drew him, like clockwork, after.

  


Davey wasn't sure when he realized he was stupidly gone over the boy. Maybe it was when Jack scraped those words onto the chalk board, or when he pulled Davey up onto the stone pedestal of the statue alongside him, or tipped his head back or made every part of tension melt away as a carriage pulled up and Jack beamed back.

Maybe it was after one of those easy, carefully reserved smiles to Dave after selling his last pape that shot sunlight through his veins that left him feeling giddy for hours afterwards, the moments of laughter shared against the cool metal of fire escapes, or the fact that he felt like home.

It was stupid.

It was dumb.

But everything, from friendly greeting pats their first day to lingering hugs to tugging him away by his tie had drawn him inextricably closer to Jack Kelly and Davey Jacobs had no intentions of going anywhere.

  


The rally was chaos.

Jack tugs him into a hug, claps him on the back and introduces him as "my pal Davey here". Even when he stands down with the mighty Spot Conlon, he manages not to lose his cool.

Perhaps they don't listen to him. Even if the boys were stirred to action by Jack and his silver tongue and winning smile, it doesn't matter. Because with Jack's cheeky grins reserved for Dave and half hugs, Davey feels free. He spoke to the thousand gathered rowdy newsboys.

He spoke for himself.

There was something incredible about the knowledge he'd spoken to that many people without Jack to carry his words for him.

When Snyder and the cops show up, Davey lurched forwards and scrambled to get Jack out away, wild, mad, perfectly Jack Jack Kelly away as quickly as possible. He ran, and Jack ran. They ran together and he was the one who pushed Jack and yelled at him to go. When he turned to face Snyder, he couldn't help but note the fact that the first day he'd known Jack, Jack had been the one shouting at him to run, and for once, it was Dave sending him off yelling at him to go instead. Trusting Jack was instinct and he'd never felt anything easier.

After a lifetime of his father's staunch pacifism and days of platitudes trying to prevent things from getting violent, the moment Jack was threatened he doesn't hesitate. In the chaos of the rally, he seized the swing and was ready, even if he was terrified, to fight for Jack Kelly, or at least buy him a few moments. Maybe in the end that didn't let his fingers get any closer when he lurched to try and grab the other boy one last time, but he learned where he stood and the newsies alongside him.

  


When Jack pushed him against the wall of an alley he felt as though those same eyes burned into his head and for once he felt _seen_. For once, beyond the vague indifference and melting into the sidelines after biting comments and sneers at his Abba or kippah that he was pressed into by classmates, he felt seen. As though someone had had looked at him and saw every little thing he never wanted to be recognized and stared into all the words in his head he'd kept safeguarded and locked away and analyzed them all in an instant.

Which is why when Jack shoved him back and he staggered away, eyes wide and head abuzz on a high of adrenaline that left him breathless the cried "No!" is far shakier than he intended it to be.

Those same eyes follow him home and haunt his attempts to fall asleep.

  


Jack Kelly comes back. Because of course he does. Halfway through getting shoved around until Davey's ears rattle in a way he'd never felt before, a pair of brass knuckles stared him down and Sarah's screams sounded a hundred miles away. Jack Kelly appeared and threw himself on top of the Delancey's.

For Davey.

And when he pulled Dave to his feet, Dave still felt as though his lungs were filled with fire when he bit out a sharp question. Jack seemed more weary than anything else.

He still didn't want to hurt Jack Kelly. He just didn't want any more reason to ache over guys like him. And then things were moving at the rapid flying whirlwind of a pace things always do with Manhattan's very own Cowboy, and when they used the printing press and whisper their 'once and for all's Davey shared smiles with Jack and felt more alive than he had in days.

But when he watched the tail of a carriage vanish, he felt as though he'd lost something special. A part of himself had left the square with it.

  


When Jack Kelly rode in on the governor's carriage, and the cheer of the crowd swelled with it, Davey found he could breathe again. Things made sense when Jack turned and smiled at him. Dave laughed, hefted the papers in his arms.

And from the crowd of ecstatic newsboys patting his shoulder and tugging into victorious embraces, Jack asked, "So, how's the headline today?"

Davey grinned, real and light and free as something flutters in his chest. "Headlines don't sell papes." He put on his cap and tipped it back, revealing the faint line of freckles sprinkled on his features the summer heat was beginning to draw out. "Newsies sell papes."

The crowd roared.

When Jack called, motioned for Dave to join him, his feet moved before his brain or Walking Mouth can begin to think through the fact. He found himself across from Jack and paused long enough to pass off the bundle of heavy papers to a beaming Crutchie.

This time he didn't hesitate. He spat and reached out to shake Jack's hand.

  


He couldn't remember what they really said to each other. 

Davey still remembered the way Jack smiled at him when he stuck his head through Dave's window. The way his tongue peeked out of his teeth in excitement when he paused for a breath, the warmth when Jack seized Dave by his hand and tugged him, brain still hazy and fuzzed with sleep, out through the warm lit streets of New York stayed with him.

"S'the best view of all o' New York, Dave," Jack had shot to him over his shoulder with a grin that made even sleepy Davey melt. "So you has to work for it."

Jack tugged him step by step, weaving the cobbled pavement before he lead him out to the docks. The sky lit up in a thousand brilliant colors, like a world on fire. Davey stumbled clumsily to sit, Jack laughing and jibing with words blurred in Dave's head as he reached out to steady him with a hand. They nudged shoulders and sat side-by-side, watching the sunset light up the still water below.

Davey may not have remembered a word they said, but he remembered that it was perfect.

Eventually, he shot Dave the most blinding grin he'd ever seen, nose wrinkling as he stifled a yawn. His eyes sparked with a child-like mischievousness as he posed, "Toldja I'd show you the best view of New York."

Davey felt that something warm flutter inside his chest again and he couldn't help but smile.

Jack turned back to watch the sky in a quiet awe usually swept under rugged edges and sharp words. As much as he hated the cliché, when he snuck breathless glances Davey thought the most beautiful view in New York was right beside him.

  


There's a million, thousand moments for which Davey Jacobs found himself loving Jack Kelly. Maybe it was the way his nose scrunched up so slightly when he tried to hide some strong emotion or the way he said that he was no good at keeping track of belongings but seamlessly mittens and warm wear found themselves wrapped around the frame of the littles.

Maybe it was the way he came back for them all. The way he left Santa Fe for the family that wanted him in the city or those beaming, open-mouthed smiles. Maybe it was the way he tugged Davey into one armed hugs and made him feel as though those words they spun could build them entire cathedrals to stand upon.

There were a million thousand moments- Jack perched on that statue, flying through the streets of New York together as though they owned them, Jack spinning stories out of singular words of headlines, his crooked little half-smiles or barks of laughter. Every little motion and twitch of his fingers drew Davey deeper and deeper in and he was falling further than he ever had.

Davey was too far gone, and he hadn't a clue what to do about it.

He was so screwed.

...There were a million thousand reasons he shouldn't. A surrounding world of violence and pain and terror and blood-deep fear. A million reasons Jack should have no interest in someone like him, let alone a _boy_ like him. Countless reasons Jack, smart, charismatic, brilliant Jack with his world-halting smiles and easy humor and cowboy hat and fantasy for Santa Fe could so easily charm anyone of interest right along to his side. Davey Jacobs, awkward and lanky with a mouth faster than common sense or courtesy was none of those things.

There were a million thousand words carefully lined up silently, chipping away bit by bit at thin shoulders, but all of those burned away letter by letter and tossed away to stars when Jack smiled.

  


Those same million thousand reasons want to bubble in his Walking Mouth when he stands across from Jack Kelly. The stars have never burned brighter or so hauntingly as he tries, shakily and breath choked, to disagree.

Because they _can't_.

And then Jack's eyes slant in that fond way of his and his lips half-curl in a cheeky grin and the exasperated, " _Dave_ ," is enough for his sputtered protests to falter.

"We can't, Jack," the words seem so small, frozen in the night air.

Jack, hair goldening under moonlight and ruffled gently by the evening breeze, has his eyes hard and solemn in a way Dave had never seen them.

"Wouldn't be like we was the first," Jack settles for as he takes a step forwards.

Dave winces and scrambles back, hands darting up to rake through his curls.

"It isn't- Jack, this isn't-" his breaths are coming faster than he intends them to be and Jack crosses the distance between them. His hand rests on Davey's arm and when he twists Dave to face him he realizes with a dizzying rush they are a dangerously close. 

There are a million thousand reasons for them not to do this but for all his smarts Dave can't think of one worth mentioning.

"When are you going to realize what you want is enough?" Jack doesn't sound angry, and if anything he looks saddened.

All words die on his tongue as Davey feels his cheeks heat up and his eyes dart away. Forcing himself to swallow, he exhaled shakily.

"You could get arrested," the refutal sounds weak even to his own ears.

Jack laughs then, and grins cheekily. "When have I ever cared about that?"

Davey snorts out a little at that, rolling his eyes before he protests, "Jack-"

"It's worth it, Dave," and he steps forward, eyes sparking and Davey feels his breathing hitch. "Ain't it?"

"Jack," breathless and small and shaky, but when Jack crooks that half-smile at him any coherent thought escapes his mind.

Dave should argue, push Jack away, _keep him safe_ (but Jack Kelly wasn't really one to listen to his rationale on a _good_ day let alone when he had his mind set like this), do something...

"I care about you a whole lot, Mouth," and Jack tries to make his voice as rough and unwavering as the charismatic union leader always seems to be. But even as his hand motions in the air, his words wobble traitorously.

Jack Kelly isn't one for hesitating but he's gauging Dave's reaction, holding his breath, and:

" _I love you._ "

Jack's mouth slides half-open in shock and Davey's heart jumps in his chest. It isn't what Davey meant to blurt out and immediately he snaps his jaw shut, flushing. It's more open vulnerable and honest than he intended to be.

He's messed up, Jack doesn't feel that way, of course he doesn't, he's overstepped and he never wanted to panic Jack with this or-or he wasn't... Wasn't supposed to this. Was this all just a whole way to twist Davey to reveal himself as queer, Jack wouldn't do that, but were the other waiting just to-

And then Jack laughs breathlessly and Davey's heart lurches again and his eyes shoot wide. He's never _heard_ Jack sound like that before. Then Jack tips his head and angles his head closer, his nose pressing briefly to his cheek and softer than David's ever seen him.

Davey Jacobs had always been drawn to Jack Kelly. This time, he doesn't try to resist when Jack's lips meet his.

**Author's Note:**

> There was a really beautiful fic that inspired this I think, but for the life of me I can't find the one I was thinking of so! If it reminds you of yours, I love you and I'm really sorry if it felt like I was imposing or snatching any details


End file.
